A brain surgeon based at Southampton’s teaching hospitals has been named one of the country’s top 100 clinical leaders.

Paul Grundy, a consultant neurosurgeon at Southampton General Hospital, features in the first Health Service Journal list of the most influential people in English healthcare today.

The guide, which identifies those making the greatest impact on health policy, service transformation and innovation, includes many prominent national figures, such as NHS medical director Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies and Sir Mark Walport, the UK’s chief scientific adviser.

During his time as clinical lead for neurosciences at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Mr Grundy has overseen the creation of a neuro-oncology surgical fellow post to increase capacity for brain tumour patients and reduce waiting times for outpatients and surgery.

He also led the development of day-of-surgery admission with pre-assessment of elective cases and the opening of an eight-bed unit which has the lowest length of stay for neurosurgery in the country.

In recognition of his achievements, which also include pioneering awake brain tumour surgery in the UK, he was named clinical leader of the year at the HSJ Awards 2012, where judges described him as an “innovator”.

Dr Michael Marsh, medical director at UHS, said: “Paul is an outstanding clinician, an exceptional professional and a true leader – he is a credit to his specialty and his inclusion in a list of such distinguished healthcare leaders is a tremendous reflection of the quality of the neurosurgical team in Southampton.”